Summer Memorial Saturday in Pristina: People should come and light a candle, we cannot forget the deceased

A small number of Serbs from Pristina, as well as nearby areas, gathered this morning at the Orthodox cemetery in Pristina on the occasion of Summer Memorial Saturday to visit the graves of their ancestors, relatives, and friends. Although the cemetery has been partially cleaned and maintained, a large number of desecrated headstones still bear witness to years of neglect and devastation.

Priest Stanisa Arsic said that the cemetery is in decent condition and has been cleaned, which, he noted, was not the case in previous years.

"Now we can see that the cemetery is being maintained to some extent. Compared to other cemeteries in Pristina, such as those in Sofalija, Matican, and Kojlovica, which are in very poor condition, the Pristina cemetery is significantly better maintained. Many of those cemeteries are overgrown with weeds and thorns, the headstones are no longer visible, and a large number of them have been destroyed. Here, however, the situation is considerably better, and the cemetery is being maintained," Arsic said.

The priest once again appealed to believers to visit the graves of their loved ones.

"My appeal on every Memorial Saturday is the same: that our faithful, our brothers and sisters who have their ancestors buried here, come at least on Memorial Saturday and light a candle for the repose of their souls. Unfortunately, we see that there are fewer and fewer people every year, despite our appeals and our efforts as a church to ensure their safety. We always take precautions and notify the police about the arrival of believers, and we strive to ensure that everything passes without problems, regardless of the number of people who come," Father Stanisa said.

He pointed out that there have been no organized visits by believers for Memorial Saturday services for many years.

"The situation in Kosovo and Metohija, as well as the various pressures to which the Serbian people are exposed, affect people's willingness to organize themselves and come to visit the graves of their ancestors. This is understandable to some extent because we have repeatedly had cases, especially in Metohija, of buses carrying believers to Memorial Saturday services being stoned, attacked, and vandalized. Such incidents are not uncommon," Arsic stated.

He added that he hopes attitudes toward members of other faiths will change and that there will be greater mutual respect in the future.

"The most frequent attacks occur precisely at Orthodox cemeteries and are directed at believers who come to visit the graves of their loved ones on Memorial Saturdays," he said.

Ilija Trajkovic, who has lived in Laplje Selo since 1999, said that he regularly comes on Memorial Saturdays and will continue to do so as long as his health allows.

"I always come and I will continue to come as long as my legs carry me and I have the strength. After that, may God forgive me. Hope is the only thing we have left. You are younger, and perhaps you will live to see better times. For now, many things remain only words," Trajkovic said.

He added that most people come to the cemetery on their own and that a large number of Serbs have been displaced and now live in central Serbia.

Zivojin Pesic came from Kragujevac to visit his mother's grave.

"I know it is not easy to come, but people should come nevertheless, if only to light a candle for the departed. We cannot simply forget them. I am 73 years old, and it is not easy for me to travel either, but my mother is buried here, and I feel the need to come and visit her grave," Pesic said.

Dragan Nesic from Lipljan came to light a candle at his brother's grave.

"We come often, almost every Memorial Saturday. I am from Lipljan, but my brother has been buried here since 1999. My mother and father are buried in Lipljan, so I first went there, and then came here with my niece and sister-in-law. They come every Memorial Saturday," Nesic said.